Means for automatically reversing the direction of travel of an inking ribbon in a calculating machine or the like

ABSTRACT

Mechanism for automatically reversing the direction of travel of an inking ribbon without tensioning the ribbon, said mechanism including a pair of gear driven ribbon spools, axially movable gear means operable to alternately drive said spools and a pair of sensing levers, each associated with a respective spool and responsive to the quantity of ribbon on a spool to effect movement of said gear means to effect reversal of the direction of rotation of the spools to reverse the direction of the ribbon travel upon depletion of the quantity of ribbon on a spool. Means are also provided to render one sensing lever ineffective when the other sensing lever is effective.

United States Patent Inventor Makoto Okuda lllgashi, Japan Appl. No.732,806 Filed May 27, 1968 Patented June 8,1971 Assignee Marzusen SewingMachine Co., Ltd.

Osaka, Japan Priority Apr. 27, 1967 Japan 42-27399 MEANS FORAUTOMATICALLY REVERSING TI-IE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF AN INKING RIBBON INA CALCULATING MACHINE OR THE LIKE 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 197/161, 197/153 Int. Cl 841 33/44, B41j 35/34 Field ofSearch197/161,

[ References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,349,483 5/1944 Willheim197/153 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Stephen CPellegrino Anorneys-Frank H, Marks and Nathan N. Kraus ABSTRACT:Mechanism for automatically reversing the direction of travel of aninking ribbon without tensioning the ribbon, said mechanism including apair of gear driven ribbon spools, axially movable gear means operableto alternately drive said spools and a pair of sensing levers, eachassociated with a respective spool and responsive to the quantity ofribbon on a spool to effect movement of said gear means to effectreversal of the direction of rotation of the spools to reverse thedirection of the ribbon travel upon depletion of the quantity of ribbonon a spool. Means are also provided to render one sensing leverineffective when the other sensing lever is effective.

PATENTED JUN 8 Ian SHEET 1 [1F 4 INVENTOR. MaKoTo OK Ud PATENTED JUN 8m7:

SHEET t 0F 4 INVENTOR. Na/(o to O/( da. BY haw i- K MEANS FORAUTOMATICALLY REVERSING TIIE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF AN INKING RIBBON INA CALCULATING MACHINE OR THE LIKE This invention relates to means forautomatically effecting a reversal in the direction of travel of aninking ribbon in a calculating machine, typewriter or the like upon theexhaustion of a ribbon supply spool.

Heretofore, the mechanism operative to effect reversal of the directionof travel of an inking ribbon in a calculating machine or the likedepended on the restraining action of the ribbon, at the end of anunwinding cycle, to effect a change in the operating position of a feedpawl in relation to a ratchet associated with a takeup spool. Suchtensioning of the ribbon sometimes resulted in tearing of the end of theribbon from the spool or injury to the ribbon itself.

In accordance with my invention, I provide an improved means includingsensing levers adapted to sense the quantity of inking ribbon on each ofthe two spools to actuate mechanism to effect a reversal in thedirection of travel of the ribbon, thereby avoiding tensioning of theribbon at the end of an unwinding cycle. Means are also provided todeactivate one of the sensing levers so that only one spool is operativefor winding up the ribbon at any one time.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of the spool operating mechanism of acalculating machine embodying the present invention, with certainconventional parts eliminated for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ribbon sensing means embodied in myinvention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line X-X of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a structural detail.

Referring to the drawing, the calculating machine includes a frame 1 inwhich is supported a shaft 2 carrying a plurality of freely rotatabletype sectors 3. A platen 4 is disposed rearwardly and above said sectors3 and is rotatably supported between arms 5 on a shaft 6 supported onsaid arms. The arms 5 are rockably supported on shaft 7 supported in theframe 1. The arms 5 are connected by means ofa link 8 to an actuatingplate 9 fixed on main shaft10. As will be apparent, rocking of shaft 10in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, will effectrocking of the arms 5 in the direction of arrow A to engage the tape 45wound around the platen 4 with the type elements of the type sectors 3.Platen 4 is advanced in a well known manner by a pawl 33a acting againstratchet wheel 33. A knob 34 permits manual rotation of the platen 4.

The shaft 7 is rotatably supported in the frame 1 and rotatably mountedon the respective ends of said shaft 7 are" spools 12 and 13 carryinganinking ribbon 11. These spools 12 and 13 are provided with gears 14 andI5 respectively, fixed thereto. A driving gear 47 is fixed on shaft7.adjacent the gear 15. An arm 50 is pivotally supported on a pin 49carried on the right hand arm 5, as viewed in FIG. 1, its pivotal axisbeing eccentric to the axis of shaft 7. The arm 50 is provided at itsdistal end with a pin 48 which is adapted to extend across the face ofgear 47 and to engage in one of the spaces between the teeth thereof, aswill be hereinafter explained. A torsion spring 51 engages the arm 50and biases the same in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5. Theother end of the spring 51 engages the right-hand arm 5. A spring pawl43 is suitably mounted on the frame 1 and engages against the gear 47'toprevent rotation of the same in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG.4. As the arms 5 are caused'to move in the direction indicated by thearrow A which corresponds to the direction of movement of the platen 4into engagement with the type sectors 3, the gear 47 is caused to berotated for a fraction of a revolution, in a counterclockwise direction,as viewed in FIG. 4, until pin 48 is caused to be freed from engagementwith the teeth of the gear 47, and upon return of the arm 5 to normalnonoperating position, the pin 48 moves correspondingly in a clockwisedirection to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 to effect engagementwith a tooth on the gear 47. In such movement the gear 47 is preventedfrom rotating in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, by thespring pawl 43.

The shaft 18 is suitably supported in the arms 5 for axial androtational movement and fixed on the ends of said shaft 18 are pinions16 and 17. The pinion 16 has a relatively narrow face and is adapted tomesh with gear 14 while the pinion 17 has a substantially wider face andis adapted to mesh with the gears 15 and47. As was hereinabove noted,the shaft 18 is axially slideable. Thus, pinion 16 may be moved into orout of engagement with gear 14 and pinion 17 may be moved into and outof engagement with gear 15. However, in either condition of movement thepinion I7 is always in engagement with gear 47.

Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that as gear 47 is caused to berotated by pin 48 in the course of movement of arm 5, in the directionof the arrow A, pinion 17 will be caused to be locked in relation togear 47 so that it revolves about the axis of shaft 7 to the same degreethat arm 5 has rocked about the axis of shaft 7. Assuming that the partsare in the relationship illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein pinion 16is in meshing engagement with gear 14, when arms 5 are moved in acounterclockwise direction as indicated by arrow A, through angle 6since pinion l7 and gear 47 are locked together against rotation, pinion16 which is similarly locked however, effects rotation of gear 14 byreason of the movement of the arms 5. Thus, spool 12 which is secured togear 14 will be rotated to the same degree as gear 14.

Now assuming that the pinion 16 is disengaged from the gear 14, in amanner as will be hereinafter explained, and that pinion 17 is caused tobe moved into engagement with gear 15, it will also be seen that pinion17 which is locked with gear 47 will cause gear 15 to be rotated withgear 47, as previously explained, and spool 13 which is associated withgear 15 will be correspondingly rotated. Thus, each of the spools l2 andI3 is alternately driven an incremental distance to wind up apredetermined length of inking ribbon thereon.

As the arms 5 are caused to return to their normal nonoperatingposition, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, moving in the directionindicated by arrow 1?, reverse movement of gear 47 is arrested by springpawl 43. Accordingly, pinions 16 and 17 will revolve idly about therespective gears14, 47 and 15 with which they may be in meshingengagement without effecting movement of either of the gears 14 and 15.In such reverse movement, pin 48 slides over the surface of the teeth ofgear 47 to return to normal starting position, as illustrated in FIG. 4preparatory for the next feed cycle.

Axial movement of the shaft 18 to effect engagement or disengagement ofpinions I6 and 17 with respective gears 14, 47 and 15 is effected by aspool changeover mechanism presently to be described. The spoolchangeover mechanism includes a pair of levers l9 and 20 pivotallysupported as at 22 and 23, respectively, on a bracket 21 secured to arms5, 5, rearwardly thereof. The lever 19 includes a forked portion 19aengageable in an annular groove of a collar 24 mounted on shaft 18. Thelever 19 also includes a laterally extending portion 19b. The lever 20is constructed allochirally to lever 19 and includes a forked portion20a engageable in an annular groove of a collar 25 fixed on shaft 18.The lower portion of the lever 20 includes a laterally extending portion20b. It will be apparent that rocking of the levers 19 and 20, as willbe hereinafter described, will effect axial movement of the shaft 18 soas to effect engagement or disengagement of pinion 16 with the gear 14and pinion 17 with gear 15.

The means for actuating levers 19 and 20 is illustrated in FIG. 3 andincludes a shaft 30 journaled in brackets 35 and 36 mounted on frame 1.A pair of sensing levers 28'and 29-are independently pivotally supportedon shaft 30 and said levers 28. and 29 are biased by torsion springs 31and 32 respectively, in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated byarrow C in FIG.

2. The lever 28 includes a sensing finger 28a bent forwardly of theplane of the body of the lever 28 and also a portion 28b bent at a rightangle to the plane of the body of the lever 28. The lever 28 alsoincludes an integral depending arm 28c also bent at a right angle to theplane of the body. The lever 29 is allochirally formed and includes asensing finger 29a, a right angle portion 29b which in this instance isadditionally bent to provide an offset portion and a depending arm 290.The sensing fingers 28a and 290 by reason of the bias of levers 28 and29 are urged into engagement with ribbon l1 wound on the respectivespools 12 and 13, as seen in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the top of portion 28bof lever 28 is disposed so that under certain conditions it is adaptedto engage the lower edge of lateral extension 19b of lever 19.correspondingly, the top edge of portion 29b is adapted to engage thelower edge of lateral extension 20b of lever 20. In each case whenengagement between the portions 28b and 29b and the lever extension 19band 20b respectively, is effected, as will be hereinafter described,levers 19 and 20 are caused to be rocked to effect axial movement ofshaft 18 and engagement or disengagement of the respective pinions l6and I7 and gears, 14 and 15 as the case may be.

In FIG. 2, the portion 28b is shown as being held out of engagement withextension 19b by reason of the quantity of ribbon wound on spool 12.However, as the quantity of ribbon progressively is depleted, lever 28moves in the direction of the arrow C to the point where the forwardedge of portion 28b will engage against the rearward side of extension19b. When the main shaft is actuated to effect rocking of the arms 5 inthe direction of arrow A bracket 21 together with the levers l9 and 20will move upwardly so that the portion 28b may then clear the extension19b and position itself immediately therebelow in the path of its returnmovement. As the arms 5 return to normal nonoperating position, movingin the direction indicated by the arrow B, the lower edge of portion 19bwill engage the top edge of the extension 28b and effect rocking of thelever 19 in a direction indicated by arrow D (FIG. 1). Such movement oflever 19 effects axial movement of the shaft 18 to the positionillustrated in FIG. 1 wherein pinion 16 is in engagement with gear 14.Similarly, portion 29b will be caused to rock lever 20 in the directionof arrow E to effect movement of the shaft 18 axially to the right, asviewed in FIG. 1, wherein the pinion 17 is in engagement with gears and47. It will be understood that in any condition of operation, one of thelevers 19 or 20 always assumes a rocked position.

A buffer element 27 mounted on shaft 18 functions to resiliently retainshaft 18 in the position in whichit has been moved, thereby preventinginadvertent disengagement of cooperating pinions 16 and 17 and gears 14and 15.

A locking lever 40 is pivoted as at 26 to the base of frame 1 rearwardlyof the levers 28 and 29. The ends 40a and 40b of lever 40 extend acrossthe depending arms 28c and 29c, respectively, so that under certainconditions 14 operation, as will be hereinafter explained, the arms 28cand 290 will be caused to engage with the ends 40a and 40b,respectively, as the case may be.

The operation of my invention should be apparent from the foregoingdescription but briefly stated it is as follows.

Referring to FIG. 2 when the main shaft 10 is caused to be rocked aswith an operating crank or by a motor, not shown, the arms 5 carryingthe platen 4 are caused to be rocked in the direction of arrow A throughlink 8 and actuating plate 9. The paper web 45 wrapped around platen 4is caused to engage ribbon 11 extending across the type elements of typesectors 3 so that printing on the paper web 45 is effected. With eachrocking movement of the arms 5, as above described, the paper web 45 isadvanced a predetermined distance. Assuming that the parts are in therelationship illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein pinion I6 is in engagementwith gear 14 which is fixed to spool 12, the gear 14 will be caused torotate a fractional revolution with each movement of the arms 5, therebyeffecting winding of the ribbon 11 on spool 12 which now functions as atakeup spool. On the other hand, since pinion 17 is disengaged from gear15 spool 13 may rotate freely serving as a supply spool to reel out theribbon 11. When the quantity of ribbon 11 on each of the spools l2 and13 is greater than a predetermined amount, the arms 28 and 29 by reasonof the sensing fingers 28a and 29a will position the respective portions28b and 29b out of the path of movement of the lever extensions 19b and20b so that winding and unwinding of the ribbon 11 as above describedwill take place. However, as the quantity of ribbon 11 on supply spool13 becomes depleted beyond a certain point, the position of lever 29will change so that portion 29b will be positioned in the path of travelof extension 20b of lever 20 so that as the arms 5 in a cycle ofoperation return to nonoperating position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, theupper edge of portion 29b will engage the lower edge of lever extension20b and effect rocking of lever 20 in the direction of the arrow E(FIG. 1) to effect axial movement of shaft 18 to the right, as viewed inFIG. 1, wherein pinion 17 will engage gear 15. Thus, since spool 13 isfixed to gear 15 spool 13 will be rotated and will now function as atakeup spool, while spool 12 is now serving as a supply spool. Whenspool 12 is depleted as sensed by the sensing finger 28a, shaft 18 willagain be shifted to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, so as to convertspool 12 to a takeup spool while spool 13 now rotates freely as a supplyspool. In the foregoing manner the functions of the spools l2 and 13 areautomatically alternately reversed in the course of operation of thecalculating machine.

It will be understood that only one of the sensing levers 28 or 29 iseffective at any one time, while the other lever is rendered ineffectiveor is deactivated. This is readily seen by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.Assuming that a reversal of the ribbon travel has just been effected andthat spool 12 is just beginning to function as a takeup spool, lever 28is now in its extreme left position and depending arm 28c is in itsextreme right position and in engagement with end portion 40a oflever40. Accordingly, lever 40 has been rocked about pin 26 so that lever 40bis engaged against arm 29c causing lever 29 to rock so that finger 29ais moved away from the ribbon on spool 13 and thus rendered ineffective.As spool 12 continues to wind up the ribbon upon itself, lever 28 willbe rocked to the right thereby moving arm 28c away from end portion 40aso that lever 40 may be rocked in an opposite direction to permit lever29 to move towards spool 13. When spool 13 later functions as a takeupspool as hereinabove described, its associated sensing lever 29 isrendered effective and lever 28 is rendered ineffective.

When no spools 12 or 13 are mounted on the ends of shaft 7 or when thespools l2 and 13 are empty, the sensing fingers 28a and 29a will, ofcourse, tend to bear against the shaft 7 or the hubs of the spools 12and 13. In such case both levers 28 and 29 would be in positions toeffect a changeover of the functioning of the spools 12 and 13 and,accordingly, this could result in jamming of the machine with resultinginjury to the machine, if the same were to be operated. However,assuming that lever 28 is in a position whereinthe sensing finger 28a isin contact with shaft 7 orhub of spool 12, depending arm 28c associatedwith the lever 28 will have assumed a position in engagement with endportion 40a of lever 40 so that said lever 40 is swung in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, which results in theopposite end 40b of lever 40 engaging against the depending arm 29c oflever 29 and rocking the same so that the sensing finger 29a is moved ina direction away from the shaft 7, which corresponds to the positionassumed for a supply reel condition. Accordingly, the reel 13 functionsas a supply reel wherein its associated gear 15 is free of engagementwith pinion l7 and any likelihood of jamming is completely obviated. Itwill be understood that either of the levers 28 or 29 may function, asabove described.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to belimited to the specific embodiments shown and described or usesmentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of myinvention being limited only by the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. in a calculating machine or the like having a main frame, a shaftsupported on said frame, a pair of spaced arms rockably supported onsaid shaft, and means for rocking said arms, the combination comprisinga ribbon, first and second ribbon spools carried on respective ends ofsaid shaft, first and second gears coaxially attached each to arespective spool, a driving gear disposed adjacent said first gear andcoaxial therewith, means for intermittently driving said driving gear, arotatable shaft carried by said arms in parallel relation to said firstmentioned shaft and supported for axial movement, first and secondpinions spacedly fixed on said rotatable shaft, said first pinion beingalways in meshing engagement with said driving gear, said rotatableshaft being axially movable so as to effect alternate meshing engagementof said first pinion with said first gear and said second pinion withsaid second gear, a bracket supported on said arms, first and secondshift levers pivotally supported on said bracket and being in engagementwith said rotatable shaft, said shift levers being arranged to move saidrotatable shaft axially each in a different direction, first and secondsensing levers pivotally supported on said frame, each sensing leverhaving a sensing finger biased in a direction to engage the ribbon on arespective spool, means associated with each sensing lever arranged toengage a respective shift lever in response to the sensing action of arespective finger and the rocking action of said arms to move saidrotatable shaft whereby said first pinion is caused to be meshed withsaid first gear to rotate said first spool to wind up the ribbon thereonin one direction or alternately to move said shaft to cause said secondpinion to mesh with said second gear to rotate said second spool to windup the ribbon thereon in an opposite direction.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including an extension on each ofsaid sensing levers extending in a direction opposite from the sensingfinger, a lever medially pivotally supported on said frame between saidextensions, the ends of said last-mentioned lever being arranged toengage respective extensions so that when one sensing lever is caused tobe rocked in response to the depletion of ribbon on one reel the othersensing lever is caused to be rocked by said pivotal lever to a positionwhere its sensing finger is out of engagement with the ribbon ofsaidother spool.

1. In a calculating machine or the like having a main frame, a shaftsupported on said frame, a pair of spaced arms rockably supported onsaid shaft, and means for rocking said arms, the combination comprisinga ribbon, first and second ribbon spools carried on respective ends ofsaid shaft, first and second gears coaxially attached each to arespective spool, a driving gear disposed adjacent said first gear andcoaxial therewith, means for intermittently driving said driving gear, arotatable shaft carried by said arms in parallel relation to said firstmentioned shaft and supported for axial movement, first and secondpinions spacedly fixed on said rotatable shaft, said first pinion beingalways in meshing engagement with said driving gear, said rotatableshaft being axially movable so as to effect alternate meshing engagementof said first pinion with said first gear and said second pinion withsaid second gear, a bracket supported on said arms, first and secondshift levers pivotally supported on said bracket and being in engagementwith said rotatable shaft, said shift levers being arranged to move saidrotatable shaft axially each in a different direction, first and secondsensing levers pivotally supported on said frame, eacH sensing leverhaving a sensing finger biased in a direction to engage the ribbon on arespective spool, means associated with each sensing lever arranged toengage a respective shift lever in response to the sensing action of arespective finger and the rocking action of said arms to move saidrotatable shaft whereby said first pinion is caused to be meshed withsaid first gear to rotate said first spool to wind up the ribbon thereonin one direction or alternately to move said shaft to cause said secondpinion to mesh with said second gear to rotate said second spool to windup the ribbon thereon in an opposite direction.
 2. The invention asdefined in claim 1 including an extension on each of said sensing leversextending in a direction opposite from the sensing finger, a levermedially pivotally supported on said frame between said extensions, theends of said last-mentioned lever being arranged to engage respectiveextensions so that when one sensing lever is caused to be rocked inresponse to the depletion of ribbon on one reel the other sensing leveris caused to be rocked by said pivotal lever to a position where itssensing finger is out of engagement with the ribbon of said other spool.